This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NaturalGoodness #CollectiveBias

Being on a budget and "going green" can be a bit complicated.  As I've written about before: you have to learn what to focus on and how to find ways to save doing so.  I have pretty bad allergies and last year I suddenly had a horrible reaction to my deodorant.  It was completely out of the blue and I tried many different brands until the cause was found.  My doctor recommended trying Tom's of Maine and the problem was instantly fixed.  The deodorant is aluminum free and lasts through the toughest of workouts! I was so impressed!  Plus, it smells AMAZING.  At the Y the other day, someone in my kickboxing class told me I smelled like their favorite Cobbler.  Ha! From that point on, I started to really look at the ingredient lists on the products we use.  I really didn't want my kids being exposed to so many chemicals and additives!

Have you tried any Tom's of Maine products?  They are quite budget friendly and there are coupons available frequently.  On a recent trip to Walmart, we stocked up on toothpaste and deodorant. I usually fill our pantry when there's a coupon and a sale.  The Tom's of Maine product line includes toothpaste for both adults and kids, mouthwash, lip balm and deodorant, plus tons of new products rolling out soon.  Nothing has  artificial colors, flavors, fragrances, or preservatives and they never test on animals.  Another bonus: 10% of their profits are donated back!  I have found the toothpaste lasts much longer than our old brands, we seem to need less of it.  

We have slowly started to find new and improved items for our bathroom routines. For my curls, I have found sulfite free shampoo and conditioner has really been helping with the dryness.  The girls really love the Tom's of Maine Silly Strawberry toothpaste and we know that there aren't any scary ingredients inside.  Instead of an expensive toner, I rely on Witch Hazel (found in the first aid aisle) after washing my face to make sure my pores are extra clean.

Certain nights of the week, Ricky works at his second job and we have a Girl's Night.  We love to do facials and this mask will leave your skin glowing.  I love that it's kid-friendly!

In other areas of the house, we have been eco-friendly for much longer.  I try to use baking soda and vinegar as much as we can.  I also found this handy Zip drain cleaner for $2 at Home Depot that really keeps the drains clear--having 4 girls in the house, it's kind of necessary!  Instead of harsher spot cleaners, Borax is always our go-to....I can get out any laundry stain with that stuff, guaranteed!

While we aren't completely a green household, we've taken huge steps in the past few years.  I have realized it CAN be done on a budget and it's fun to include the kiddos in our process.  The twins help with the compost and garden in the summer, also we are teaching them to recycle or re-use as much as we can.  Baby steps make the process much easier on the budget--plus the changes are more permanent!

How has your family "gone green"? Have you tried Tom's of Maine products yet?

Want to save $1? Here's a Coupon!

Back-to-School Snack Time: Quick and Easy After School Snacks!

Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias

My girls love to graze all day long, so I'm worried they are going to be STARVING by the time they get home from kindergarten.  Remember how important the after school snack was when you were little?  The best would be if you got fresh cookies or a tasty oven treat like Bagel Bites.  I'm going to need to have a snack ready for when we get back from our walk home.  It will have to be filling enough to hold them over for dinner, but not too big to spoil their dinner. I have a feeling we will be having some early nights after the first few exhausting days of school.

We have ONE WEEK until the girls start kindergarten.  I am a ball of emotions!  On one hand I cannot wait for them to have school-- they are getting pretty bored at home!  There are only so many activities you can do that seem fresh by this point of the summer.  On the other hand, I cannot believe my twins are already this old! I'm so fortunate that the school is within walking distance and we will have a fun new routine every day.

Things are quite different for kindergarten these days.  I'm kind of shocked by it!  They go full days (8:55-3:55 with ONE recess) and the principal tagged kindergarten as "the new 1st/2nd grade".  This will be quite an eye opener! All I remember about kindergarten is coloring and making friends.  That's about it!

Check out my super cool laser background!

Since today was rainy and gloomy, we headed out to Walmart to pick up some lunchbox and after-school treats.  As you can see in the pics, they are SO ready for school.  Non-stop arguing and whining. For the first few weeks, I thought I would let them have special snacks they don't always have: Bagel Bites and Delimex Chicken taquitos. We are huge dippers, so we like to put all of the snacks on a platter with 3-4 dippers: ranch, guacamole, salsa and queso. Quick and easy! We can sit and dip our snacks and catch up on the day.  I know Olivia and Maddie will have SO many stories to tell!

Before you head out to the store, make sure print off some coupons!  There is one for the Bagel Bites and any Delimex product-we love the beef taquitos too. I love that Bagel Bites use real cheese and homemade sauce--they are something I feel comfortable giving my girls. #AfterSchoolSnacks

First day of preschool last year!  Stay tuned for the kindergarten one!

As this week before school flies by, I keep telling myself to stop and cherish every moment with my girls.  After they start kindergarten, nothing is the same!  No longer will we have lazy Tuesday mornings in bed watching PBS or mid-morning trips to the library for fun story hour.  Gabby will have me all to herself and this should be interesting.  She is 3 and has started to get that diva, larger than life attitude.  I can't imagine what my full, undivided attention will bring! Watch out!

What was your favorite after-school snack?

Warm Weather Has Arrived! Time to #SummerizeYourLegs {Plus Our Vacay Preview!}

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. 

Can you believe that we've had more than 5 consecutive sunny and WARM days?!  There were times this past winter when I would sit and dream of this weather.  During the cold days of winter, the last thing I think of is shaving.  The hair, like, totally keeps you warmer, right?!  Poor Ricky!

Two weeks ago, we took our first family vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC and while getting prepared for the trip, I thought "crap, my legs are SO not skirt ready".   It didn't help that it was still 40 outside when we left! 

After dropping the twins off at preschool, Gabby and I headed over to Walmart to pick up some supplies.  First on the list: sunscreen.  Back in the day, when I would go to the beach with my friends, it was all about the spray oil.  I've learned my lesson since and now it's at least 30 SPF for us and 50+ for the kids. I'm loving the new Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch because it goes on like regular lotion, not oily at all!  It smells ah-mazing too!  For the kiddos, I always do a combo of lotion and the spray for after they're sandy.

I also picked up an Intuition razor since I love how the soap is attached...it adds so much extra moisture.  The new Pure Nourishment has coconut oil in it, which I'm obsessed with.  It's great to travel with those razors! Of course Gabby saw a few must-have items from her "list": princess fruit snacks, a beach ball and new coloring pages for the car.  Whenever she flashes me that cute 2 year old smile, I can't say no!

To get my rough winter skin in shape, I love to follow the basic rules: Prep, Shave, Protect:

1. Use an exfoliating scrub in the shower BEFORE shaving.  I exfoliate 2-3 times/week in the summer. My favorite: Say Yes to Grapefruit Body Scrub.  I wait for a great coupon to get this!
2. While shaving, use plenty of gel or soap to keep legs smooth. Also, be sure to buy NEW razors.  Old ones aren't going to make it through your winterized hairy legs, girlfriend!
3. Lightly towel off, then instantly apply baby oil gel to damp skin.  Allow to absorb before generously applying sunscreen.  I've replaced my normal lotion with the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch since it's not greasy!

For more tips on how to Summerize your skin AND a $2 coupon, head over to the Walmart page.  You can also enter to WIN a great prize pack!

After a long 17 hour drive, we made it to Hilton Head Island in one piece.  The girls actually slept for over 9 hours!  I was so nervous they would be up the entire time and we would have to listen to Frozen on repeat.  Whew!  Once I felt the warm air on my face, I was ready for a week of fun!

Beach days with kids are MUCH different, let me tell you!  Long gone are the days of frying out in the sun with my oil spray.  Now I'm in and out of the water every 5 minutes, checking my phone to see if it's time to reapply the sunscreen, building sand castles, etc etc.  I loved every minute of it!  By the end of the trip, the girls spend most of the day boogie boarding in the water.  They loved the ocean!  The Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen was perfect for the adults, we got tons of color and no burns.  I loved how it went on so smoothly!

Great way to start off the summer vacation: on the beach in SC! I promise, Gabby loved the water...hehe.

I promise I'll share more details about our awesome trip...I thought I would give you a little preview!  I'm so ready for a busy summer and you best believe my legs will be silky smooth for everything!

What tips do you have for Summerizing your skin?

#BirthdaySmiles with Hallmark!

 The holiday season gets crazy...then in my family we go straight into birthday season.  From December 31st- mid February I have 17 birthdays for friends and family.  17!  That is nutso!  Even better, 4 out of the 5 members in this house have birthdays within a 2.5 week time span. Gabby is a lucky lady to have a summer birthday!

My sister is turning 16 on December 31st...I cannot believe it.  Right now, I don't think she's too happy about celebrating her birthday with New Year's Eve, but I think that she'll enjoy it in the future.  Everyone will want to celebrate on her big day. Yes or No? (Nicole! I know you have the same bday...living in NYC no less.  Does it get better?)

I do know that celebrating close to the holidays kinda sucks, since my birthday is January 16th.  Here are some tips to make holiday season birthdays a bit more special:

1. Don't try to do the one gift for two holidays.  Yes, my blog is called Being Cheap is Easy, but that's plain rude.  Now, if it's a nice BIG gift...that's different.
2. Focus on the person who is having the birthday.  If possible, avoid talking about Christmas or other holiday plans...unless the birthday girl/boy brings it up.
3. Avoid holiday colored decorations at the party. This also includes extra holiday leftovers...no one wants those 2 week old cookies!

So many Hallmark options at Walmart!

For 2014, one of my goals is to do a better job at keeping in touch with people.  I thought I would start off by sending cards for birthdays.  It's a simple way to say you're thinking of someone.  I am always drawn to Hallmark cards because they have so many options.  There are budget, musical, funny, sentimental...whatever you might be feeling.  At Walmart, they had 3 aisles of cards!  I spent 20 minutes browsing, trying to not seem super creepy when I was cracking up.  I found so many great cards, except a perfect Sweet 16 one for my sister.  There were TWO 16 cards...so sad!

I did find a few perfect cards.  Not sure who this one is for yet, but it was simple, yet funny.

The minute I saw this one, I knew that I had to get it.  I call my girls "little monsters" all of the time and there just happens to be 3 on this card! 

For more ideas, check out the Live SoFab Holiday Digital Magazine.

What kind of card are you drawn to?  Funny and Inappropriate or Sappy and Meaningful?

I thought I would end with a little giggle....